Akue
is a 15-years-old Akha boy with Thai nationality. He is the
youngest child in his family and has 2 older brothers. They
used to live in Doi Va-Vee (Village) in the Mae Suay District,
Chiang Rai Province. Their father worked 7 days a week in
Maesai as a gardener.

When
Akue was 8-years-old, he and his brother went to work at
the dumpster everyday, collecting paper and looking for things
to sell. They made about 60 Baht each a day. During that time
at the dumpster, Akue got to know Kru (Teacher) Ngaow, who
came to see the children working at the dumpster everyday.
He would bring them some food and try to teach the children
on the site.

When
Akue was 9-years-old his mother became very sick, however
the family had no money to pay for medicine or to visit the
hospital. Therefore Akue and one of his brothers decided
to walk from Maesai across the mountains into Myanmar (Burma).
They made connections with a drug lord and began to smuggle
amphetamines (such as speed) from Myanmar into Thailand.

During
the following three years the two boys crossed the mountains
countless times, bringing about 100 000 pills per trip back
into Thailand. They were awarded 10 000 Baht for each successful
trip. Their smuggling work stopped when the police caught
the dealers that were importing the drugs on the Thai side.
Seven months later their mother fell into coma and died shorting
after.

Akue's
mother died when he was about 12 years old. Soon after he
came to stay in Childlife. He got the chance to study and
take care of the smaller children in Childlife. After about
one year he had to go back to his father and brother in order
to help support them by working in the garden and rice fields.
Akue is now back in Childlife and very glad that he's able
stay.